Parish Papers eBook

“For we must all appear before the judgment-seat
of Christ; that every one may receive the things done
in his body, according to that he hath done, whether
it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror
of the Lord, we persuade men.”

“And we have seen and do testify that the Father
sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God,
God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have
known and believed the love that God hath to us.
God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth
in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made
perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of
judgment: because as he is, so are we in
this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect
love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment.
He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
We love him because he first loved us.”

“But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that
that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are
all the children of light, and the children of the
day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let
us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep
in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken
in the night. But let us, who are of the day,
be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and
love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For
God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain
salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for
us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live
together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves
together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.”

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole
matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments:
for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall
bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing,
whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”

THOUGHTS UPON FUTURE LIFE.

It is obviously impossible to treat a subject so vast
and so profoundly interesting as this within the limits
of a Parish Paper, except in the most cursory
and superficial manner. Yet I am induced to make
the attempt, in order, if possible, to impress my readers
with such ideas of our life in heaven as are more
in accordance with the nature of man and the Word
of God, than, I am inclined to think, obtain among
many sincere Christians, who accordingly are deprived
of encouragements in duty, comforts in sorrow, and
bright hopes to cheer them amid the world’s
darkness, which they might otherwise possess.

Let us inquire, then, in what shall consist the believer’s
happiness in God’s presence.

Now, it will greatly aid us in answering this question
regarding our true life in eternity, if we first consider
what constitutes our true life in time, or what would
constitute our perfect happiness now, if in the full
enjoyment of all our mental and bodily powers, and
if, in the best possible circumstances, we perfectly
fulfilled upon earth God’s purpose in our creation.